Difficulty in Forming Consultative Body Due to Different Voices from Ruling and Opposition Parties

Ruling Party: "No Preconditions for Participation in the Consultative Body"
Government: "Cannot Postpone Medical School Expansion for 2025 Academic Year"
Medical Community: "Must First Achieve Consensus Between Ruling Party and Government"
Opposition: "Representative Medical Organizations Must Participate"

Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, is trying to launch the ruling-opposition-medical-government consultative body before Chuseok, but the opposition party, medical community, and government are each voicing different opinions, causing difficulties not only in launching the consultative body but also in its formation. Han is appealing for participation by stating that demands such as next year's medical school quota issue can be discussed to lead the participation of the medical community, which is the biggest challenge.

On the 13th, the People Power Party stated, "Yesterday and today, Leader Han requested the participation of the Korean Medical Association (KMA) President Lim Hyun-taek regarding the ruling-opposition-medical-government consultative body, but received a reply that the KMA has not yet decided whether to participate," adding, "The People Power Party will continue to make efforts to alleviate the public's anxiety about medical service gaps."

Although Leader Han is making an all-out effort to launch the ruling-opposition-medical-government consultative body before the Chuseok holiday, it is known that the medical community has not decided to participate amid ongoing differences in perception between the ruling party and government regarding how they treat the medical community. Han is opening the door and offering conciliatory measures by saying that all the conditions set by the medical community for participation, including the postponement of the 2025 medical school quota increase and accountability for those responsible for medical reform, can be discussed in the consultative body. On the other hand, government officials including Prime Minister Han Duck-soo are pointing to residents as the primary party responsible for the medical crisis and are showing a hardline stance by saying that the postponement of the 2025 medical school quota increase cannot be opened as an agenda item, leading to clashes.

It is reported that Leader Han Dong-hoon and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo also had a heated debate at a high-level ruling party-government meeting on medical reform held at the National Assembly the day before. Prime Minister Han said, "Discussion on the 2025 medical school quota increase is absolutely not allowed," while Leader Han said, "Let's first open the door for the medical community's participation," and asked, "If the medical system collapses, can you take responsibility?" In response, Prime Minister Han reportedly replied, "We are currently managing the situation." In particular, at the government questioning session held at the National Assembly on the same day, Prime Minister Han responded to Democratic Party lawmaker Nam In-soon, who pointed out responsibility for the medical crisis, by saying that residents bear the first responsibility for the medical crisis.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is speaking at the party-government meeting held at the National Assembly on the 12th to improve the regional and essential medical care system. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Among the 15 major medical organizations, even those known to be positively considering participation in the ruling-opposition-medical-government consultative body have turned lukewarm due to the government's attitude and the disagreement between the ruling party and government. Since the ruling party and government have not reached an agreement and the government has stated that the postponement of the 2025 medical school quota increase cannot be discussed, they have decided not to sit at the table. The Korean Association of Medical School Professors stated in a press release sent to reporters the day before, "Regarding the consultative body, the Korean Association of Medical School Professors has not yet discussed or decided on participation." Park Dan, emergency committee chairperson of the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA), which is the party involved in collective action, pointed out on Facebook, "Government officials including Prime Minister Han continuously shift the responsibility for the medical crisis onto residents, but it is the government that created and maintained a system where problems arise immediately if residents quit," adding, "The government is naturally responsible for policies that residents distrust, which have caused their departure."

The opposition party is also standing firm that discussions in the ruling-opposition-medical-government consultative body can only proceed if representative organizations participate. KIRA, which represents residents who are the starting point of the medical crisis, is an example. Kang Yoo-jung, floor spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said to reporters after a policy coordination meeting the day before, "It will not be easy to solve the serious medical crisis with only two medical organizations participating," adding, "Since it is difficult to form the consultative body, we urge the participation of medical organizations with practical administrative power."

The opposition party continues to demand the dismissal of ministers and vice ministers and an apology from the president. Jin Sung-jun, chairman of the Democratic Party Policy Committee, said at a policy coordination meeting the day before, "The government says it will increase the number of professors at national university medical schools by 1,000 over three years. Will the medical community sit at the negotiation table when only measures that provoke the other side are presented?" adding, "A sincere apology from the president is the priority, followed by the dismissal and accountability of the ministers and vice ministers in charge."

Park Dan, Acting Chairman of the Korean Intern Resident Association (Daejeon Association), is appearing on the 21st at the Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Mapo-gu, Seoul, to undergo a witness investigation. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@